19A NCAC 03D .0517 DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this Section, these words and phrases shall have the following meanings, except in those instances where
the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
(1)
Abbreviations: Abbreviations used in these Rules shall have the following meanings:
(a)
CO - Carbon Monoxide,
(b)
G.V.W.R. - Gross Vehicle Weight Rating,
(c)
HC - Hydrocarbons,
(d)
PSI - Pounds Per Square Inch,
(e)
NOx - Nitrogen Oxides,
(f)
PPM - Parts Per Million,
(2)
Ambient Air: That portion of the atmosphere surrounding human, animal and plant life.
(3)
Authorized Station: An established place of business licensed by the North Carolina Division of
Motor Vehicles to conduct inspection of safety equipment, emissions, and air pollution control devices
as required by the inspection laws.
(4)
Base: The place where a vehicle is most frequently dispatched from, garaged, serviced, maintained,
operated or otherwise controlled. If any vehicle is located in or operated from a county participating
in the safety emission program continuously for a period of 30 days, said vehicle shall be considered
based within said county.
(5)
Certified Inspection Mechanic: A person who has completed the course(s) required by G.S. 183.4(c)
and 183.4A(c), who has passed a written examination approved by the North Carolina Division of
Motor Vehicles, and who has been issued an inspection mechanic license by the Division of Motor
Vehicles.
(6)
Crankcase Emissions: Air contaminants emitted into the atmosphere from any portion of the engine
crankcase ventilation or lubrication system.
(7)
Current Year Model: The production period of new motor vehicles as designated by the manufacturer
in the calendar year in which the period ends. If the manufacturer does not designate a production
period, the model year shall mean the 12-month period beginning January of the year in which
production began.
(8)
Diagnostic Equipment: Tools or machines used to diagnose engine performance.
(9)
Emission: The act of a motor vehicle emitting into the atmosphere any air contaminants which may
include carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, or nitrogen oxides.
(10)
Emissions Analyzer: An approved device used to fully evaluate the vehicle emission control system
for proper operation and electronically record and transmit emissions and safety inspection data to the
state. An approved device is considered a device that meets the certification requirements as defined
by the Environmental Management Commission Specifications for the North Carolina Analyzer
System.
(11)
Established Place of Business for Safety/Emissions Inspection: A permanent structure owned either in
fee or leased by a licensee, which has sufficient space to test and inspect one or more motor vehicles
for which an inspection is being sought and to accommodate the office or offices of an authorized
station to provide a safe place for maintaining the records of such authorized station, and at which
location the business shall be open during normal business hours to conduct safety inspections and
emissions tests and make available to authorized agents of the Division of Motor Vehicles all records
and required equipment for examination and testing.
(12)
Exhaust Emissions: Air contaminants emitted into the atmosphere from any opening downstream from
the exhaust parts of a motor vehicle engine.
(13)
Heavy Duty Motor Vehicle: A motor vehicle which is designed primarily for:
(a)
The transportation of property and which is rated at more than 8,500 GVWR.
(b)
The transportation of persons and which has a capacity of more than 12 persons.
(c)
Use as a recreational motor vehicle which is rated at more than 8,500 GVWR.
(d)
Use as an off-road utility vehicle.
(14)
Inspection: The safety equipment or emissions inspection of motor vehicles required by G.S. 20, Part
2, Article 3A.
(15)
Inspection Laws: G.S. 20, Part 2, Article 3A and rules adopted by the Commissioner of Motor
Vehicles.
(16)
(17)
(18)
(19)
(20)
(21)
(22)
(23)
(24)
(25)
(26)
(27)
(28)
(29)
(30)
(31)
(32)
(33)
(34)
History Note:
Inspection/Maintenance (I/M): A strategy to reduce emissions from in-use motor vehicles by
identifying vehicles that need emission related maintenance and requiring that such maintenance be
performed.
Inspection Period: The period of time a motor vehicle is required to be inspected. To be a current
inspection, a motor vehicle may be inspected up to ninety days prior to the last day of the month in
which the registration on the vehicle expires pursuant to G.S. 20-183.4C. For motor vehicles not
previously registered in this State, the inspection period shall be a period of 12 months prior to the
application for registration pursuant to G.S. 20, Part 3, Article 3 and G.S. 20-183.4C.
License: Notwithstanding G.S. 20-4.01(17), the license issued by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles
which is required for a person to operate a safety equipment emission inspection station.
Light Duty Motor Vehicle: A motor vehicle which is designed primarily for:
(a)
Transportation of property and which is rated at or less than 8,500 GVWR by the
manufacturer; or
(b)
Use in the transportation of persons and which has a capacity of 12 persons or fewer.
Light Transmittance Measuring Device or Light Meter or Unit or Device: A photometer capable of
measuring the net transmittance of a window or windshield for light at 560 nm with a variance of no
more than 20 nm.
Motorcycle: A motor vehicle as defined under G.S. 20-4.01(22).
Multipiece Photometer: A photometer in which the light source and light detector are mechanically
separate units that can be positioned on opposite sides of a fixed window or windshield.
Net Transmittance: The luminous transmittance over the 560 nm with a variance of 20 nm wavelength
range, including the effects of Fresnel (surface) reflections.
Recreational Motor Vehicle: A vehicle which is designed primarily to provide temporary or
permanent living quarters for travel, camping, or other recreational use.
Registered Owner of a Vehicle: The individual, group of individuals, partnership, firm, company,
corporation, association, trust, estate, political subdivision, administrative agency, public or quasipublic corporation, or any other legal entity in whose name the license has been issued and whose
name appears on the registration for such vehicle.
Revocation: Notwithstanding G.S. 20-4.01(36), the termination of a license issued by the Division of
Motor Vehicles to a safety equipment emission inspection station.
Safety Inspection Analyzer: An approved device used to evaluate and electronically record and
transmit safety inspection data to the state. An approved device is considered a device that meets the
certification requirements as defined by the Environmental Management Commission Specifications
for the North Carolina Analyzer System.
Section: The License and Theft Bureau of the Division of Motor Vehicles.
Self-Inspector: A person, firm or corporation so designated by the Commissioner for the purpose of
inspecting only those vehicles owned or operated by such person, firm or corporation.
Standard: A standard of performance adopted in these Rules.
Station: A place of business licensed by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to conduct inspections
of motor vehicles as required by the inspection laws.
Suspension of Safety/Emission License: The temporary withdrawal of a license issued by the Division
of Motor Vehicles to a safety equipment emission inspection station for a definite period of time.
Tampering: Rendering inoperative, or the intentional maladjustment of any device installed on a
motor vehicle designed or intended to control the amount of emissions from a vehicle.
Waiver: A document issued by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles or his designated agent
exempting a particular motor vehicle from the requirements of the emission inspection.
Authority G.S. 20-2; 20-39; 20-127; 20-183.2; 20-183.6(a); 20-183.7(a);
Temporary Adoption Eff. November 1, 1995 for a period of 180 days or until the permanent rule
becomes effective, whichever is sooner;
Eff. October 1, 1994;
Amended Eff. July 1, 2010; February 1, 1996.